{"id":15166,"date":"2020-09-25T23:15:00","date_gmt":"2020-09-26T03:15:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/?p=15166"},"modified":"2020-10-01T13:49:47","modified_gmt":"2020-10-01T17:49:47","slug":"autoimmune-inflammation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/autoimmune-inflammation\/","title":{"rendered":"Autoimmune Inflammation: If Your Body Turns on You"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

What is autoimmune inflammation? Is it related to an inflammatory immune system response? What is the relationship between inflammation and the immune system?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Autoimmune inflammation is an inflammatory immune system response directed at one’s own body. In Brain on Fire<\/em>, the autoimmune inflammation was attacking the brain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Read more about autoimmune inflammation, including the relationship between inflammation and the immune system.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

Was Autoimmune Inflammation the Culprit?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Dr. Najjar<\/a> has a flash of insight: what if Susannah\u2019s inflammation is the result of an autoimmune reaction? What if her own immune system is attacking her brain? <\/strong>He recalls a paper written by a Dr. Dalmau<\/a> at the University of Pennsylvania, describing four young women stricken by a rare autoimmune disease<\/a>. Could Susannah have the same condition?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dr. Najjar has other questions, too. How much autoimmune inflammation is there? Can her brain be saved? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

He knows he can only answer these questions by removing a tiny portion of her brain for study, but he doesn\u2019t know if Susannah\u2019s parents will agree to such a drastic procedure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The longer Susannah goes without intervention, the smaller her chances of recovering. Recognizing the gravity of the moment, Najjar paces around the room before sitting on the bed next to Susannah.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHer brain is on fire,\u201d he announces to Susannah\u2019s parents. Then he turns to her and says, \u201cI will do everything I can for you.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Susannah comes alive. She sits up and throws her arms around Dr. Najjar, tears gathering in the corner of her eyes. Sensing the real Susannah is still in there somewhere, he motions to her parents to follow him out of the room. In the hallway, he tells them that the best way to treat her is to do a brain biopsy. \u201cI would do it if it were my child,\u201d he gently cautions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

They\u2019re overwhelmed by the news. Separately and together, they sob. They pray. Eventually, after much terrified soul-searching, they consent to the operation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Brain Biopsy<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Two days before the surgery, the head nurse comes to Susannah\u2019s room to describe what\u2019s about to happen. Susannah listens calmly, but she and her dad break into tears that evening. As they laugh and cry together, he brings up the family motto.<\/strong> \u201cWhat\u2019s the slope of the line?\u201d he asks. Susannah can\u2019t remember. \u201cPositive,\u201d her dad urges. Susannah angles her arm upwards, as her dad had done the first time. \u201cGetting better every day,\u201d he smiles. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

On Monday morning, Susannah is wheeled into surgery. She doesn\u2019t react when a resident shaves her head. Interpreting this as a sign of strength, her dad kneels by the side of her bed, tears in his eyes, and asks once again, \u201cWhat is the slope of the line?\u201d This time she responds: \u201cPositive.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The biopsy confirms that Susannah\u2019s brain is inflamed, seemingly under attack by her own immune system.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

What is autoimmune inflammation? Is it related to an inflammatory immune system response? What is the relationship between inflammation and the immune system? Autoimmune inflammation is an inflammatory immune system response directed at one’s own body. In Brain on Fire, the autoimmune inflammation was attacking the brain. 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